True Monsters – Act 3 Forge Hold - Chapter 24 – Ghoul Lord.

The morning came and they woke from a deep slumber. The attic room was a little cold and drafty, but they were supplied with plenty of blankets. They had one small room and a lantern, they dressed and headed downstairs to the ground floor. An associate welcomed them and passed them a bowl of porridge and some warm bread freshly baked. Alice poured honey on her porridge and gulped it down, “If this vampire put a price on our heads we need to kill him right”.

David shrugged, “It costs a lot of coin to train and equip assassins to that level, and we might have made it unprofitable to pursue such a contract”. Martin slurped, “most vampires don't take it personal but this Islington I read some of the correspondence we found. His patron his sponsor it sounded like they were as close as family”, Vivian shrugged “A lover”? “No like a relative, he may have raised him or he may actually be a blood relation of some sort” Martin mused “a decedent perhaps” Alice added.

“The reality is he has deep pockets, he is probably just going to raise the bounty on our heads a bit”, Martin confirmed making his point. Vivian looked at him “You’re a vampire hunter, he is a vampire”. Martin shook his head, “the point is that this vampire is older and stronger than anything we have faced, even if we were all masters and had significantly better equipment then I don’t like our chances, there would be too great a gap”. “What can we do then”? “We need to remain vigilant”. “I would rather be out in the field fighting earning coin gaining levels, than sitting in an inn with a crossbow pointed at the door”, Vivian nodded “a moving target is harder to hit”.

“Those rogues got to us fast”, David pointed out. “they were probably part of a plan to strip away this settlements defences, without Lord Kahn Simon Milroy and several other leading figures especial the confessor this town would be a much easier target”. Vivian made a sensible explanation. “I suppose the brother hood of the Black Hand might have been working with the unseen hand.” David made a blind guess. “What is with the name of these criminal groups”? Alice asked. “They use too many of their own products, they are not that imaginative”. David declared with confidence.

“A link with one criminal syndicate or guild could well mean a link to multiple criminals or just one main contact that has influence elsewhere”, Vivian surmised. “We have prices on our heads, and we probably disrupted the vampires plans to weaken this town”, Martin used sound reasoning but the implications were dire. “We need to watch our backs inside settlements as much as outside then”. Alice stated flatly. “We don’t have to be passive about this, the drugged up idiots that distracted us might know something. Simon might be able to get something useful out of them, when they come round”, Vivian said. “We will see him today then”, David confidently stated.

Martin sighed “Places like this the hunters house, fortress monasteries are more resistant to the thieves’ guilds. Everyone hear has to take a holy oath, keeping together also keeps us safe. Vivian nodded, “most of the free mercenary company bases are similar, so much bad blood between the thieves’ guild and the free companies that it could be considered safe ground”. Alice looked apprehensive, “The mages tower has small places like this in most towns. We might be allowed in, also there are several knightly orders that work for the crown, they would be hospitable to us, we have some options”.

“So this is going to be our life from now on, running from one hole to another”? David asked. “Yes I guess until we can kill, this lexicon who put this price on our heads.” Martin answered. David had a certain way of thinking, “How much gold on this vampires head” a situation could be turned around. “A good point, Milroy what’s the local bounty on lexicon”? Martin yelled.

Milroy came into the room, he finished stuffing a hot bread roll in his mouth and swallowed. “It’s twenty gold, but if he keeps causing trouble they will put the reward up”. He noted that the party had finished there food. “In preparation for the vampires attack, we are going to try and cull or eliminate the local forces at the vampire’s disposal”. The group were attentive, something to do. “We have a ghoul suppression quest, there is a cave a few of them have settled in.

Some prospectors found them, two prospectors didn’t get out, I want ten ghoul heads 1 silver each and a 5 silver bonus for the ghoul champion, if you find more report back.” David grinned “Can you give us directions and a big sack”. “Yes sure one of my apprentices can show you the location”, Milroy called one of the apprentices over who darted off to get a sack.

Milroy went to another room and poked about in a pile of paperwork. Martin followed him, “what happened with that letter form the spy”? Milroy found a piece of paper, “we are checking some things, it may take a while to go through some leads, your best bet is to keep killing the vampire’s minions, for now”. He handed Martin a small map of the area. The apprentice hunter returned with a large sack over one shoulder.

In a few minutes the rest of the party was ready, Vivian had her new quiver that Martin had made, she was happy. It contained a series of compartments one for ten bodkin arrows, ten cheap iron broad heads in another, silver and enchanted ammunition in their own divisions, with spare strings in a separate water proof pocket.

They left the hunters house, Vivian stopped the apprentice, “can you take us to the sheriff’s office we need to check something before we head out”. The woman nodded and led them to a small office at the back of the guard house. Simon was seated there with a drink in one hand and a pile of paperwork in the other.

They exchanged greetings. “Did you get anything useful from those petty thugs that attacked us? It can’t have just been a coincidence.” Vivian was strait to the point. “The herbalist had to put in some time to get them back together, they were very heavily drugged up, I am honestly surprised that they could stand. Hopefully they start to think straight soon and we can get a sensible answer out of them.” “They were probably paid in drugs to distract us”, David surmised. “Yes and they took there payment there and then a reasonable idea, hopefully we find out something useful”.

The apprentice waited outside the sheriff’s office then resumed her guide duties. She led them out of the town along a road. Past a fortified farmstead and into some hills, there were a few farmers and a few militia, they were probably the same but rotated duties. They got to their destination at the foot of a particularly inhospitable hill. “The cave mouth is over there it was possibly a mine once, I have other duties to attend to, please see Milroy when you are finished”.

The group approached the cave Martin stopped them, “remember the bone chewers we faced before. Alice Vivian keep back from the caustic vomit. David’s shield and my blessings can keep us safe. If they do bite us then they can paralyse you. It counts as a poison attack so I have some resistance, I don’t think that they will be able to penetrate David’s armour, Vivian Alice I am less sure, don't let them try. They have limited regeneration but fireballs and thermite should eliminate that advantage. Make sure that they stay dead we don’t want one recovering”.

He looked at a note scribbled on the map, “these ones are possibly dread ghouls a little tougher and the ghoul leading them might be a ghoul lord rather than a ghoul champion. So it might have a brain that can think that’s the biggest danger”.

Vivian dug some torches out of her backpack and handed them out. Martin awkwardly held his holy symbol and a touch in his right hand, with his triple pistol in his left. David looped a torch onto his shield. Vivian didn’t carry one but allice did hung from her staff. The group slowly moved into the cave. It looked like it had been cut by picks and chisels hewn from the rock a long time ago. An old abandoned mine of some sort. Alice gripped her staff, “when we get back to town, I am going back to Luther and I am getting a ring of touch light that he had, a free hand could be the difference between life and death hear”.

They found the remains of the two prospectors, the nick name of the ghouls as bone chewers was apt. The two people had been reduced to two piles of gnawed bone fragments, scraps of fabric and leather. The ghouls had eaten there shoes their backpacks and chewed their clothes, there was nothing really to bury or preform last rights on.

Alice looked over the remains, “I guess ghouls don’t leave many people alive so there are few infected, so there numbers don’t ever grow much”. Martin nodded sagely, “yes unless a ghoul lord, overlord or vampire is directing them, then they act smart”. The party headed deeper it was a single tunnel heading slowly downwards as if someone was following an ore seam or trying to dig down to where they thought one might be.

The group stopped when they came to a split in the tunnel. Martin looked left and right, “we don’t want to split up, let’s check left then right.” David shook his head, “we could get attacked from behind I say we stay here at the junction one person goes in attracts the ghouls, then brings them back to the group so that we have them bottled up, a fire ball a flask of oil some thermite or all three and it’s an easy payday.”

Martin shrugged, “ok give me a few minutes”, he started to step forwards. David stopped him, “this time I have a ring of boar's endurance. I have full plate and a tower shield, and they have attacks that are blocked by physical defences so this time I am the bait”. Martin grinned back, “You just want an excuse to show off your new armour and weapon right”. David walled off down to the left, “I am a castle that walks like a man”. David arrogantly responded back. “If they have a tin opener, you better watch out” Alice shouted back.

David gripped his weapon, he was confident he had heavy armour. He had a nice new blade, he was twice the level he was when he first fought these things. He had an adrenalin power attack that could cleave through a low level ghoul, he moved a few feet further down the tunnel. Even if he was infected or wounded the hunter had purify and Alice had a healing spell. They were behind him quite a way further back. Perhaps this was not the most sensible thing in the world. He wondered if ghouls could drop down from the ceiling. A few drips landed on his torch David jumped back.

Looking up he saw it was just a bit of water, not some hungry predator about to jump on him. He felt his heart beating, there was a scraping noise further down the passage. David let out a sigh of relief. A nice stupid creature that would attack head on, no sneaking criminal syndicates no plotting vampires, just one brain dead ghoul about to be diced up.

David saw the approaching ghoul clearly, it was a head taller than a human it was grey rather than white so it was probably the leader. It had well developed elongated arms ending in three claws with the remaining fingers on each hand withering away. Its back had several spines that could be seen its jaw was wide it hissed.

David readied his sword the beast stopped outside his range. It reached into its mouth and pulled a handful of the needle like teeth lose. It grinned as it hurled a handful of them at David. He had his shield up the spiny teeth harmlessly bounced off the iron and steel. David stepped forwards to meet the ghoul, then he realised what it was doing.

There was a pain in the sole of his foot, where he had stepped on one of the teeth. He felt the numbing paralysis slowly traveling up his body he froze. “Fuck shit help”, his chest and arms grew heavy and he slowly collapsed back. The ghoul Lord slowly grinned a big gap toothed grin, it hissed but it was more like a laugh. It moved forwards examining its prey, David had underestimated a monster and now he was starting to worry, had they herd his call?

The ghoul lord's face was struck by an acid strike spell. It shrieked and clutched its face, it backed off almost tripping over it was off balance. It was hit by a fire ball knocking it over, with more hissing shrieks as it tried to stand up. A fire bite struck it in the face. It held its arms up high to protect its face as a second acid strike hit its arm, melting into them. A second fire ball sent it reeling, another acid strike and it was down. Alice made sure with a final acid strike dissolving most of its head. It stopped moving its flesh giving up on trying to regenerate, whatever was left of its burnt and corroded body.

Alice felt time freeze, a message appeared 'a special action has been performed!’ Feat of marshal strength has been achieved, you have defeated a worthy opponent your level limit has been increased to level 50. Your destiny is sealed. She dismissed it she had other things to worry about

The next problem was the nine more ghouls behind it. The party had come as soon as they heard David’s cry. Alice had been given the opportunity to kill the ghoul lord on her own, in the hopes that it would count as a worthy opponent and she could break through the 25 barrier. Now that the brains of the ghoul mob were dead, the rest of them still needed to be moped up.

Martin hurled one of his medium thermite grenades into the centre of the group. A perfectly timed throw set the explosive off right in the middle of the group, covering the first five ghouls with a shower of white hot burning thermite. They stopped screeched and rolled around on the floor in a futile effort to extinguish the burning chemical reaction, Martin grinned. Alice picked a few off with acid strikes and a fire ball to soften the last few up. Vivian used her new bow and tried the enchanted arrows. The ghouls fell easily to the combination of a power shot a mythril arrow head and 50 points of elemental magic damage.

Martin took the last ghoul that was trying to crawl away down with a focus shot, removing the top of its head. Vivian checked David who was slowly regaining the feeling in his limbs. He looked surprised, “dam... thing was fairly smart”. Alice looked down at him, “that’s one you owe me”. Vivian set about very carefully recovering her very expensive arrows. Martin held out his holy symbol, “purify”. He reloaded his pistol then patted David on the shoulder, “the paralysis should wear off fairly quickly.”

They levelled up, first Martin hitting rank seven of his melee weapons proficiency as he hit level 34. Vivian was next hitting level 27, she continued raising her critical strike skill to level 6. David cursed under his breath as he didn’t even get a chance to swing his new blade, he was not going to be levelling up today.

Alice felt the pain of levelling up assault her, her body grew that bit tougher and hardier but it was more, the expansion of her mind was inside her it was her own self that strained. She didn’t black out but it was unpleasant in the extreme, she had to lean against the wall of the cave, and she was unfocused she had made a choice. Her mind accommodated the knowledge with the aura of healing spell.

It was a potent healing spell that covered an area of 5 foot radius around the caster, it would heal every ally around the caster for ten seconds. However she had to spend some time preparing it and it did cost a good chunk of 40 mana. She had to stand still to do it, but she was sure that it would be a life saver in a tight fight.

David finally did get to use his sword, unfortunately it was to behead the ghouls. One by one as Alice held a sack open for them, when they had collected the melted skewer and chard heads they began to dispose of the remains. Alice took the sack just able to carry it. Martin dragged one ghoul corpse Vivian and David managed two each. They piled them up outside splashed them with oil and set it on fire. The bag was left a distance away. Martin looked about, “There could still be twice that number in the caves we need to check it out fully”. They agreed going back with weapons drawn. They went down one pathway fully finding nothing. They removed two more of the ghoul corpses and threw them on the pyre.

The group headed down the second tunnel, Martin took the lead he was somewhat resistant to paralysis, if another high level ghoul attacked them. He felt his holy symbol move there was something. He moved a little deeper into the tunnel. There was a vampire standing there, looking like it had just seen a rat.

He would have been an old man when he was turned into a vampire, he still had a full head of grey hair. His body was not bowed or withered, in life he would have still been a powerful opponent even into his old age. Probably a knight based on the way his clothing and armour appeared a noble. His armour looked like it was imbued with necromancy, perhaps conjured or fortified. His clothing was dark blue expensive looking, there was a bastard sword that glowed purple, on his hip. Some sort of magic talisman around his throat offering additional defence.

The vampire charged forwards, pulling his sword free to stab. His fingers were outstretched to wring the life out of the interlopers, that dared to trespass in his domain and slay its servants. Martin used a focus throw, “thermite for everyone”. Martin was already backing away, Martin prayed of insight using a blessing, “thy will be done”. The vampire wiped the burning thermite out of his eyes the way another might wipe away mud. Martin ran his fears confirmed, “this foe is beyond us flee” he looked at Alice, she stared back sharply, “I can carry myself thank you”.

They beat a hasty retreat back down the tunnel, Martin hit the vampire with various divine blessings “wrath of the almighty” , “chain smite”. The vampire was barely phased ducking back for a few seconds with the electrical attack, to get out of its range. In the end Martin used his angel seraphim blessing to protect himself, the vampires attacks carved through it very quickly. But it gave him enough time to nail the vampire with another thermite grenade, allowing him to get away.

They ran out of the cave into the sunlight. This vampire was not stupid enough to follow them. It seemed to be a stale mate. Vivian turned to Martin, “that young warrior Islington do you think that was his sponsor”. There was an angry shout from inside, the voice was filled with a century and a half of arrogance and pompous rage. “He is one of the elite not a warrior, that is a stupid name, you don’t have the right to speak his name”. Martin went back and grabbed the bag of ghoul heads.

One of the burning bodies on the pyre glowed purple, it slowly rose up then collapsed down.

There was another shout of indignation, “for what you did to my boy, you die”. Alice and Vivian shared a knowing look, this was defiantly Islington’s father, and patron. There was a spoiled brat who was in life and still in un-death lexicons son. David panted, “we should be safe now right? A large chunk of rock flew out of the mouth of the cave and just avoided taking his head off. He crouched down, “Let’s get a bit further away”!

As they backed off further he wondered, “We didn’t burn every ghoul body”! David sighed “there were three left”. The headless ghoul zombies charged out of the cave entrance heading towards them. At least this time David would get a chance to use his new sword, even if they would not grant much experience. Vivian looked up at the sky “let’s move”.

Martin opened up a flask everyone took a sip, even Alice took a very small sip.

The group headed off back to Forge-hold, they would report the vampire’s presence but by the time they got back the next day they would find him gone. If they tried attacking at night it would be suicide. Martin had a calculating look on his face, “that’s the sign of a much more competent monster, it didn’t gloat or mock us. It just tried to pull our heads off as soon as it saw us.” Alice nodded, “I can see that, what did the monocle and your blessing reveal about the opponent”?

“He was a level 25 knight when he was turned, he is a vampire just over level 100 so a total level of 125 roughly”. David sighed “that’s a big gap”. Martin shrugged, “I thought he would be closer to 200, if we can each get close to level fifty if we can thin down his servants if we can get a good opportunity it’s possible”. Vivian shrugged, “you’re the expert on vampires how likely are you to run into one that powerful”? Martin shrugged, “a rule of thumb we estimate it is around 120 – 150 vampires over level 100 in this country, they make up a very small part of the vampire population, you would normally run into an army of servants first”.

They arrived at the gates after touching the holy symbol outside they were let in. Martin looked at the guard on duty, “I must speak to the sheriff”. The man nodded Martin followed him to his office and the rest of the party followed behind. Simon looked at them, “What happened to you, you look like you just ran from a demon overlord or something”. Martin held up the bag of ghoul heads. “We ran into the local head vampire, we killed a few of his servants but we just got away from him”. Simon nodded “I understand if they are this close to a settlement that’s a bad sign, I will double the look outs, you see Milroy I will let confessor Calvin know”.

The group headed over to the hunters house. They got in and ate a meal one of the deputy’s went to fetch Milroy from drilling the town militia on fighting vampires. Martin was taking a good heavy drink.

Milroy sat down joining them. Martin was the first to speak, “we ran into the local elder vampire, close to town”. Milroy looked over to the bag stuffed with ghoul heads. “He must have been surveying the troops you were all lucky to get away”.

Vivian spoke, “what do you know about the local vampire, Lexicon”? Milroy was slow to respond “not too much, he sees competent for a vampire of his age, very few exploitable weaknesses like most vampire elders, he keeps to the background. I think that you might be the first to actually see him and survive”. Alice had an idea, “you said no weakness, the way he described Islington as his son”. A light went on metaphorically in Milroy’s head, Alice continued “I don’t think he meant he was like a son but his actual son”.

Milroy weighed there options, “he is a noble probably, the nepotism extends past the grave”. “Even if we got everyone together I don’t like our odds, if we could soften him up a bit that might work”. He gave up on the plan, “I don’t think that he would still be there when we got back, we could haul a gallon of holy water out there for nothing.” The group nodded in agreement of the succinct assessment.

Martin was going on his reading rather than personal experience as her turned to Milroy. “It’s awfully unlikely that we would run into an elder vampire that just happened to be inspecting some of his troops, normally you have a few dozen thralls’ fledglings and a couple of warriors or elites with them a retinue”. He nodded, “that’s a good point this vampire hates your guts and wants you dead, for pissing on his plans and fucking over his son. I think he was playing the numbers for the chance to kill you”.

David spoke “where was the quest posted?” Milroy answered “orders from the church”. Vivian “it will be interesting to find who posted it”. The room was silent for a few seconds. “If you’re suggesting what I think you’re suggesting we need to be discrete, we may have a spy in our midst the informant from the prospectors would also be known to the ghoul’s masters. Let me speak to confessor Calvin and we will investigate”. He checked the bag of ghoul heads then counted out 15 silver coins and handed them to Vivian.

“Good hunting I have a far more profitable task for you tomorrow.” The group stayed inside the hunter’s house that night. They had faced opponents that were initially insurmountable then gotten stronger or became better prepared. This was no different in that regard, it would take them some time to be able to punch on lexicons level, but they could earn coin and make the local settlement a better place by killing monsters. They were wary as a group they slept badly.

Status Screen Name Vivian Tanner Age 19 years old Race Human Primary Occupation Mercenary Level 27 Affiliation Glass Bay Mercenary Free Company / Merchants Guild Association Health 165/165 Adrenalin 135/135 Efficiency 4 Strength 33 Intelligence 5 Wisdom 5 Agility 6 Endurance 6 Charisma 6 Dexterity 5 Perception 5 Bonuses Level Attack Bonus 27 Level Defence Bonus 27 Bonus Base Weapon Damage 81 Class Proficiency Comprehensive Training L4 Layered Armour Perk L2 Adrenalin Power Shot L2 Bow Proficiency L8 Speed Shooting L8 Critical Strikes L6 Perks Intensive Training + 1 Endurance and Strength Status Screen Name David Fisher Age 18 years old Race Human Primary Occupation Mercenary Level 28 Affiliation Glass Bay Mercenary Free Company / Merchants Guild Association Health 170/170 Adrenalin 140/140 Efficiency 4 Strength 34 Intelligence 5 Wisdom 5 Agility 5 Endurance 6 Charisma 5 Dexterity 5 Perception 5 Bonuses Level Attack Bonus 28 Level Defence Bonus 28 Bonus Base Weapon Damage 84 Class Proficiency Comprehensive Training L4 Layered Armour Perk L1 Adrenalin Power Strike L2 Sword Proficiency L8 Shield Proficiency L8 Adrenalin Power Block L2 Defend Against Missiles L4 Duelist vs single target L3 Flaws Gambling Addiction Status Screen Name Alice Costar Age 17 years old Race Human Primary Occupation Mage Level 26 Affiliation The Eternal Tower Mages Guild/ Royalist Court Health 93/93 Mana 210/210 Strength 3 Intelligence 5 Wisdom 31 Agility 5 Endurance 3 Charisma 5 Dexterity 5 Perception 5 Bonuses Level Attack Bonus 26 Level Defence Bonus 26 Number of Simultaneous Spells 2 Base Spell Cost 4 Mana Magical Defence 50 Class Proficiency Mana Regeneration L2 Analyse Magic L2 Recharge Enchantment L2 Spell List Fire Bite (5 Damage + 2 per Level ) 1 x Base Mana Cost Tracking Fire Bite Master (16 Damage + 5 per Level ) 1 x Base Mana Cost Touch Heal Master (15 Heal + 6 per Level ) 1 x Base Mana Cost Ranged Heal (5 Heal + 1 per Level ) 1 x Base Mana Cost Fire Ball Master (30 Damage +12 per Level 10 foot Area ) 4 x Base Mana Cost Touch Poison Cure – 5 x Base Mana Cost Tracking Acid Strike Master (16 damage +5 per level ) 1x base mana cost Aura of Healing (5 heal +1 per level per second 10 seconds) ally ten foot 10 x base mana cost Flaws Fear of Bats Status Screen Name Martin Wrigt Age 29 years old Race Human Primary Occupation Vampire hunter level 34 Secondary Occupation Journeyman Craftsman Level 11 Affiliation Order of Steel and Silver / The Church of the Creator God Secondary Affiliation Bay City Guild Hall Health 418/418 Focus 225/225 Strength 11 Intelligence 5 Wisdom 5 Agility 5 Endurance 41 Charisma 5 Dexterity 7 Perception 5 Faith Yes Bonuses Level Attack Bonus 45 Level Defence Bonus 45 Bonus Base Weapon Damage 15 Class Proficiency Bonus vs Vampire Resist Disease Holy Symbol usage L1 Resist Poison Blade Coatings L2 Focus Shot L1 Immunity to Taint – Demonic, Thrall, Necromantic, Ghoul and Vampirism Taint Pistol Proficiency L5 Overload Shot L1 Focus re-lode L1 Throwing knife Proficiency L3 Focus throw L1 Focus Multi Throw L1 General Melee Weapons L7 Focus strike L1 Grenadier L8 Focus Parry L1 Duel Wield Focus Attack L1 Combat Medic L2 Blessings Use Per Day Wrath – 25 points of holy damage unblockable x 4 Shield of Faith – 50 points of temporary health x 1 Guardian Angel – blocks first two attacks that would penetrate armor x 1 Guardian Seraphim angel – blocks first four attacks that would penetrate armour x 1 Armor of Faith – ten extra points of armor block both magic and physical attack x 1 Purify – remove taint disease etc x 7 Holy Aura – five feet - ten points holy damage – per second x 1 Divine Retribution – 100 points of holy damage unblockable x 2 Circle of Consecration – fifteen feet area ten points holy damage per second x 1 Fortress of faith – 100 points of temporary health + 20 points of armor x 1 Smite – 200 points lighting damage x 1 Divine Favor – 20 hit point Regeneration for 5 seconds x 7 Hallowed Earth – 250 points holy damage in 10 meters x 1 Martyrs Sacrifice – minus 4 hit point per second + 20 attack + 10 strength + 10 agility + 10 dexterity. - (really painful) consumes focus per sec x 1 Chain Smite – 200 points lighting damage + 50 points per second of ability stacks x 1 consumes focus per second Thy Will be Done – can see location of enemy directed to them Wrath of the Almighty – (300 holy 100 fire 100 frezing 100 electrical) damage x 1 Craft Proficiency Administration L1 Woodworking L1 Leather Working L3 Mettle Working L5 Sowing L1 Perks Well Maintained Perk on all equipment Pistols – improved critical damage 30% + Armour penetration 15 points Flaws Alcoholism Zealot Survivors Guilt